A Forgettable Debut for Borders
History might well remember Saturday night, but Ila Borders would probably rather forget it.
Borders became the first woman to pitch in a regular-season minor-league game when she came in during the sixth inning of the St. Paul Saints’ Northern League game against Sioux Falls.
But she struggled from the outset and left after facing three batters without getting an out. Sioux Falls went on to win, 11-1.
When she entered the game, Sioux Falls led, 4-0, and had a runner at third and two outs in the sixth. Borders hit the first batter she faced,Paul Cruz, with her first pitch. She then went to a 2-2 count to the next batter, Michael Dumas, before she was called for a balk, forcing in the runner from third.
Dumas then lined the full-count pitch back at Borders. She knocked it down, but threw wildly to first for an error and Cruz scored.
John Tsoukalas followed with an run-scoring double which finished her night.
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